It’s hard to comprehend that things you’ve been told for years about home maintenance could be wrong. But when it comes to the plumbing system in your Frederick County home, it’s best to believe the experts in order to prevent damage.
Here are a few assumptions our Putman Plumbing customers have had that simply aren’t true.
Myth: Running Water Helps Waste Travel Smoothly Through the Garbage Disposal
Truth: The most important thing about this is that some things don’t ever belong in a garbage disposal, whether you run water or not. Hard, course waste such as eggshells and celery can cause damage to your disposal so they should always go in the trash. If you do want to put thicker foods down the disposal, you should break them up and mix them with water beforehand so they aren’t so hard.
Myth: Lemons Clean Your Garbage Disposal
Truth: Lemon rinds can make your disposal smell great, but they don’t really clean it, and can actually clog it. A better choice is to mix a cleaning solution of mild soap and warm water into a spray bottle, spray it into the disposal, then after a few minutes scrub the disposal with a cleaning brush. Just make sure you disconnect the disposal before you start to clean.
Myth: It’s Best to Clean All Plumbing Fixtures With Hand Soap
Truth: Hand soap can be damaging to some surfaces, and are not effective enough to disinfect others. Brass should be cleaned with gentle solutions, like lemons and baking soda, and toilet bowls need disinfectant to kill germs.
Myth: Putting a Brick in the Toilet Tank Saves Water
Truth: If you displace too much water, your toilet bowl won’t fill up enough to carry waste away, so you’ll actually have to flush twice as often. And since bricks deteriorate, components in the tank such as the flapper can break. So the brick doesn’t end up saving you money at all — it just leads to higher water bills and broken pieces that need to be replaced.
Don’t believe everything you hear. Instead, give us a call and ask us before you end up with a big problem!
